The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) offers Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to help with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability
Understanding PIP eligibility can be a bit of a maze, but the website Benefits and Work has broken it down with some straightforward pointers that could indicate if you’re likely to qualify. They say: “If the answer to the next three questions is ‘Yes’, then you should very seriously consider making a PIP claim”.
Those questions are simple but could make a lot of difference if you are entitled to help.
- Do you have a disability or long-term health condition?
- Are you aged between 16 and state pension age?
- Does it make it more difficult to do everyday things like cooking or getting around?
The site adds: “There are a few more issues that may affect your eligibility, such as whether you have recently lived abroad and whether you are currently in a care home or hospital. But they don’t affect most people and you can read more about them in our PIP guides.”
PIP comes in two parts, reflecting how your condition affects you. There’s the daily living component and the mobility component. When it comes to the standard living part of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), they’ll look at how you manage 10 different tasks, checking if you can do them safely, well and quickly, and the level of difficulty you face will determine your points tally.
To get the standard rate, you need to score eight points across all activities, while the enhanced rate requires a score of 12, reports the Express. But take note, because next year’s contentious welfare shake-up means claimants will have to hit these point targets and also score at least four points in one single activity.
Yet Benefits and Work says claimants don’t have to meet eligibility criteria all the time. The site says: “You are eligible for points if you satisfy one or more descriptors under an activity on more than 50% of the days in the twelve-month qualifying period.”
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They add: “So if, because of depression, you are unable to motivate yourself to wash and bathe on four days a week, then you should score points for that. This will be the case even though on the other three days a week you can do this without anyone to prompt you.”
The amount received from PIP payments can vary significantly, with some individuals receiving upwards of £800 per month, while others may only get £114 at the lowest mobility rate. In addition to financial support, those who successfully qualify for PIP also benefit from extra premiums, benefit top-ups, and assistance with applications for other aids such as a disabled railcard or blue badge.